Full-day kindergarten cost may increase

Classrooms might need to have toilets, sinks added

Dec. 9, 2005

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the issue

Democrats' plan: Full-day kindergarten for all the state's elementary schools was at the center of the Assembly Democrats' agenda during the 2005 Legislature.The compromise: A $22 million compromise version, funding full-day at Nevada's most needy schools, was eventually approved. How it is funded now: Currently, many of Washoe's at-risk schools already offer full-day kindergarten, although school used federal money to fund it. Title I schools (at-risk schools) will now be able to use federal money for other programs. The state law mandates that all school districts open full-day kindergarten classrooms funded by the state in September.The debate: Democrats in the Legislature argued that full-day kindergarten would be a major factor in improving youngsters' reading levels and social skills, especially those from low income families or families where English is the second language. Full-day kindergarten as also part of Gov. Kenny Guinn's legislative agenda in 2003, but legislators did not approve it.

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The Washoe County School District may need to spend $1.3 million more than was approved by the Legislature for full-day kindergarten classrooms in order to equip them with toilets and sinks, school officials said.

Original cost estimates for the classrooms that were given to state lawmakers last year did not include costs of toilets, sinks or plumbing because those were not required by existing building code. But Sparks, Reno and Washoe County have changed building-code regulations since, requiring the toilets and sinks, school officials said.

"I'm surprised that we would receive estimates back then that did not include bathrooms and sinks for kindergarten classes, regardless of what the code is," said Assemblywoman Debbie Smith, D-Sparks, and the vice chairwoman of the Assembly Education Committee. "Would you expect the children to go outside if they wanted to go to the bathroom?"

Tuesday, school trustees are expected to decided whether to follow the district's recommendation to pay the extra money to build the classrooms with toilets and sinks. Trustees could also decide to seek a variance from building codes in Sparks, Reno and Washoe County that would allow them to build the classrooms without the plumbing fixtures, school officials said.

"If our board says we don't want to spend the extra money, we have that option," said Mark Stanton, the district's bond program coordinator.

School officials said last week that they never intended to put kindergarten students into classes without toilets and sinks, Superintendent Paul Dugan said.

Instead, older elementary school students would have been placed in the new classrooms that lacked toilets and sinks.

"The original plan was that kindergarten students would not be put in those portables," Dugan said.

"We planned to move older kids into those portables and put the kindergartners in the main building where they would have good access (to sinks and rest rooms). Now with the new ordinances that require a bathroom and sink, we may be able to use those (new classrooms) for kindergarten."

Some lawmakers, however, said putting older children in portables without sinks or toilets is not a good alternative.

"This sounds like poor planning to me," said Assemblywoman Sheila Leslie, D-Reno. "I'm disappointed that the children's physical needs were not taken into account. Whatever the child's age, they are going to need a sink and a toilet in the classroom."

Some principals, however, said they would welcome new classrooms even if they didn't have sinks and toilets.

"In the past, the portables never had bathrooms or sinks that I'm aware of," said Patricia Cesarez, principal at Roger Corbett Elementary. "Ideally, it would be great to have bathrooms and running water, but we've done it before without them. The children won't be any less comfortable. We have a bubbler (water cooler), and if they have to go to the bathroom, we have more than enough bathrooms around the school to take care of those necessities."